Anatomofunctional organization of the insular cortex

We combine architectonic, tract-tracing, fMRI and electrophysiology to examine the anatomofunctional organization of the insular cortex in the macaque monkey. Multi-stain architectonic enables the parcellation of each of the three classical sectors of the insula into several distinct sub-sectors or areas. MRI-guided injections of high-resolution tracers in each of these areas are made to examine their individual patterns of connectivity. Some of our tracer injections are coupled with fMRI experiments in which we use interoceptive stimuli to activate specific sub-regions of the insular cortex. Thus, the coupling of tracing and fMRI provides both anatomical and functional information on the regions of interest. We complement our fMRI results with electrophysiological recordings. Finally, in order to examine the transposability of our findings in the monkey to humans, we use, among other approaches, comparative architectonic examinations across primates.

Education

2003 Doctorate in Science (biology), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium - summa cum laude

Thesis: "Control of nociception by estrogens synthesized in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord"

Advisor: J. Balthazart

Committee: A. Blomqvist, R. Kupers, J. Schoenen, J.-C. Plumier

1999 License in Science (biology), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium

Professional Experience

2008-present

Research Scientist, Department of Neurophysiology, Max-Planck-Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tuebingen, Germany (dir.: Prof. Dr. N.K. Logothetis)

2005-2008

Postdoctoral Fellow, Atkinson Research Laboratory, Division of Neurosurgery, Barrow    Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA (dir.: Prof. Dr. A.D. Craig)

2003-2005

Research Associate, Dept. of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA (dir.: Prof. Dr. M.S. Erskine)

Awards

1999 Patrimoine de l’Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium (€400)

2000 Académie Royale de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium (€500)

2003 Serono Fundations Travel Fellowship, Torino, Italy (€250)

2003 Serono Fundations Speaker Award fellowship, Torino, Italy (€200)

2003 Patrimoine de l’Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium (€420)

2004 Young Investigator Award, Breckenridge, CO, USA ($US 1500)

2004 Belgian Pain Society/UPSA Award, Brussels, Belgium (€5000)

Invited Lectures

2002 Dental Faculty, University of Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France

2002 Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

2002 Department of Psychology, Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA

2003 European Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders, Bordeaux, France

2003 Meeting of the IASP-SIG Sex, Pain, and Gender, Prague, Czech Republic

2003 Steroids and Nervous System Meeting, Torino, Italy – awarded speaker

2003 Department of Physiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

2004 Department of Anesthesiology, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium

2004 Workshop on Steroid in the Brain, Breckenridge, CO, USA – awarded speaker

2004 Harvard University, MGH (Clifford Woolf’s lab), Charlestown, MA, USA

2004 Belgian Pain Society, Brussels, Belgium – annual award

2006 Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, CNRS, Strasbourg, France

2006 Société Française de l’Etude et du Traitement de la Douleur, Nantes, France

2007 Katholic Universiteit van Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

2007 Hertie Institute for Neuroscience, Tuebingen, Germany

2008 Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA

2008 Covance Research Laboratories, Muenster, Germany

2009 Department of Neurophysiology, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany

Peer-reviewed articles

Eschenko O.*, Evrard H.C.*, Neves R.M., Beyerlein M., Murayama Y. and Logothetis N.K. (2011) Tracing of noradrenergic projections using manganese-enhanced MRI. NeuroImage Epub ahead.

Evrard H.C.* and Craig A.D. (2008) Retrograde analysis of the cerebellar projections to the posteroventral part of the ventral lateral thalamic nucleus in the macaque monkey.  J Comp Neurol 508: 286-314.

Evrard H.C.* (2006) Estrogen synthesis in the spinal dorsal horn: a new central mechanism for the hormonal regulation of pain.  Am J Physiol 291: R291-R299.

Balthazart J.*, Baillien M., Cornil C.A., Charlier T.C., Evrard H.C. and Ball G.F. (2005) Behavioral effects of rapid changes in aromatase activity in the central nervous system. In: Hormones and the Brain, Kordon C., Gaillard R.C. and Y. Christen (eds) pp. 173-199 (Springer Verlag Publisher).

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2004) Rapid regulation of pain by estrogens synthesized in spinal dorsal horn neurons. J Neurosci 24:9225-9229.

→ Comment in Sex, Gender and Pain (2005) by R.C. Craft

→ Comment in Headache (2007) by D.W. Dodick

Evrard H.C.*, Harada N. and Balthazart J. (2004) Immunocytochemical localization of aromatase in sensory and coordinating nuclei of the hindbrain in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).  J Comp Neurol 473: 194-212.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2004) Aromatization of androgens into estrogens reduces response latency to an aversive thermal stimulus in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Horm Behav 85: 181-189.

Hau M.*, Dominguez O. and Evrard H.C. (2004) Testosterone reduces pain in a wild bird species. Horm Behav 46: 165-170.

→ Comment in Nature (2004): “Why it hurts less to be a man” by L. Nelson

→ Comment in New York Times, El Pais, Le Monde, Pravda (2004)

Evrard H.C.*, Willems E., Harada N. and Balthazart J. (2003) Specific innervation of aromatase neurons by substance P fibers in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in quail. J Comp Neurol 465: 309-18.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2003) Aromatase (estrogen synthase) activity in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord: functional implications. Ann NY Acad Sci 1007: 263-271.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2002) Localization of oestrogen receptors in the sensory and motor areas of the spinal cord in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Neuroendocrinol 14: 894-903.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2002) The assessment of nociceptive and non-nociceptive skin sensitivity in the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). J Neurosci Methods 116:135-46.

Evrard H., Baillien M., Absil A., Foidart A. and Balthazart J.* (2000) Localization and control of aromatase in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) J Comp Neurol 423: 552-564.

→ Comment in J Comp Neurol: “Sex Hormones and Pain: A New Role for Brain Aromatase?” by A. Blomqvist.

Abstracts

Forro T., Logothetis N.K. and Evrard H.C.* (2011) Distribution of a large spindle-shaped neuron in the anterior agranular insula in the macaque monkey, 41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, USA.

Evrard H.C.*, Zilles K., Sherwood C.C. and Logothetis N.K. (2011) Large spindle-shaped neurons in the anterior insula in lesser apes and monkeys, 41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (Neuroscience 2011), Washington, DC, USA.

Evrard H.C.* and Craig A.D. (2008) Retrograde analysis of cerebellar inputs to ventrolateral, intralaminar and midline thalamic nuclei in macaque monkeys. 1^st Annual Primate Meeting, Tuebingen, Germany.

Evrard H.C.* and Craig A.D. (2007) Retrograde analysis of cerebellar inputs to ventrolateral, intralaminar and midline thalamic nuclei in macaque monkeys. 37^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, USA.

Evrard H.C.* and Craig A.D. (2006) Retrograde analysis of the cerebellothalamic tract in the cynomolgus macaque monkey. 36^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Atlanta, USA.

Evrard H.C.* and Erskine M.S. (2005) Rapid effects of spinal estrogen synthesis on nociception behavior in adult male rats. 35^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington D.C., USA.

Evrard H.C.*, Harada N., Balthazart J., and Erskine M.S. (2004) Distribution and function of aromatase along the rat spinal and hindbrain nociception pathway. 34^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, USA.

Evrard H.C.*, Harada N., and Balthazart J. (2004) Effects of aromatization of androgens into estrogens in the spinal cord. 2^nd Joint Meeting of the American and Canadian Pain Society, Vancouver, Canada.

Evrard H.C.*, Harada N., Balthazart J. (2003) Localization of aromatase-immunoreactive neurons in sensory and integrating nuclei of the hindbrain in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). 33^rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, USA.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2003) Spinal estrogen synthesis rapidly increases responsiveness to noxious stimuli. 4^th Congress of the EFIC, Prague, Czech Republic.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2002) Effects of estrogens on spinal motor and sensory processes in Japanese quail. 32^nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Orlando, USA.

Evrard H.C.*, Harada N. and Balthazart J. (2001) Localization of estrogen-synthase (aromatase) in the rat spinal cord. 31^st Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, USA.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2000) Localization of estrogen receptor, aromatase, and nociception-related compounds in the quail spinal dorsal horns. 5^th EURON Ph.D. Students Day, Leuven, Belgium.

Evrard H.C.*, Willems E. and Balthazart J. (2000) Neurochemical environment of the quail spinal estrogen-synthase (aromatase) neurons. 30^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, USA.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2000) Localization of estrogen-synthase and estrogen receptor immunoreactive cells in the brainstem of the Japanese quail. 4^th EURON Ph.D. Students Day, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (2000) Localization of estrogen-synthase and estrogen receptor immunoreactive cells in the descending nucleus of the trigeminal nerve of the Japanese quail. 2^nd Bisannual Meeting of the Federation of the European Neuroscience Societies, Brighton, U.K.

Evrard H.C.*, Baillien M., Foidart A., Absil P., Harada N. and Balthazart J. (1999) Localization and control of aromatase in the dorsal horns of the quail spinal cord. 29^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Miami Beach, U.S.A.

Evrard H.C.* and Balthazart J. (1999) On a way to investigate the possible involvement of spinal aromatase in sensory perception. 9^th Low Countries Meeting, Nijmegen, The Netherlands